Iran shoots down US fighter jet as US searches for crew, new strikes on oil infrastructure (PHOTOS, VIDEOS)
Welcome to RT’s live coverage of the US-Israeli war against Iran and the wider regional escalation, marked by ongoing missile and drone exchanges.
US officials have confirmed that a search and rescue operation is underway in Iran for the crew of a downed F-15E fighter jet, according to Reuters and CBS News. Iran claims it shot down another latest generation F-35.
Iranian strikes also hit Kuwait’s Mina al-Ahmadi oil refinery and caused fires in several operational units, the country’s state news agency has reported.
US President Donald Trump has threatened to step up strikes on Iran, saying Iranian power plants could be targeted next. The announcement came just hours after US forces hit the country’s tallest highway bridge linking Tehran and Karaj, rendering it inoperable.
“Our Military… hasn’t even started destroying what’s left in Iran,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “Bridges next, then Electric Power Plants! New Regime leadership knows what has to be done, and has to be done fast!”
USAF HC-130J and HH-60G Pave Hawks on a deep combat search and rescue for the downed F-15 Strike Eagle crew in Iran. pic.twitter.com/vhCqUupLuz
— OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) April 3, 2026
Iranian military spokesman Ebrahim Zolfaghari responded, warning of immediate retaliation if Washington follows through.
“If the US proceeds with its threats regarding Iran’s power plants, immediate retaliatory actions will be taken,” he said in a video address, adding that Israeli energy and IT infrastructure – as well as regional companies with American shareholders – would face ”complete and utter annihilation.”
The video featured footage of the Stargate UAE project, a major AI infrastructure hub under construction in Abu Dhabi, part of a US-backed initiative led by OpenAI. Zolfaghari said Iran would ”do whatever it takes” to defend its interests, suggesting these projects could become targets.
Earlier, Iran said the Strait of Hormuz would remain closed ”in the long term” to US and Israeli ships. Trump urged Tehran to ”make a deal before it is too late.” Iranian officials have denied they are seeking a ceasefire or engaging in talks.
Latest developments:
• Search ongoing for the crew of a US fighter jet shot down over Iran
• Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said strikes on civilian infrastructure, including bridges, would not force Iran to surrender, calling them a sign of “defeat and moral collapse.”
• WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus condemned US-Israeli strikes on Iranian health facilities, citing over 20 verified attacks since March 1 and at least nine deaths.
• US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has fired Army Chief of Staff General Randy George.
• The UN Security Council is set to vote on Saturday on a proposal authorizing “all necessary means” to secure transit through the Strait of Hormuz, effectively allowing the use of force against perceived threats to shipping.
Follow our live coverage below for continuous updates. You can also read our previous updates here.
03 April 2026
19:24 GMTThe Iran conflict spells the end of Washington’s “empire,” US journalist Tucker Carlson has said.
“What’s happening in Iran is the end of American empire as we understand it,” he said.
“It’s not the end of the United States. It’s not the end of our influence on other nations… It’s not the end of our economy. It’s the beginning of a very rough time in our economy, of course.”
Trump’s speech last night announced the end of global American empire. There’s turbulence ahead, but long term it’s a huge win for the United States. pic.twitter.com/8Ns5SF5b7k
— Tucker Carlson (@TuckerCarlson) April 2, 2026- 19:07 GMT
A US A-10 Warthog attack plane crashed near the Strait of Hormuz after sustaining fire over Iran, the New York Times has reported, citing anonymous American officials. The pilot has been rescued, the outlet added.
The plane was hit around the same time as the downed American F-15, according to the NYT.
- 18:52 GMT
Israel has postponed planned strikes on Iran so as not to interfere with US search and rescue operations for two crew members of a fighter jet downed over the Islamic Republic, CNN has reported, citing an Israeli official.
- 18:40 GMT
Three members of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) have been injured in the south of the country, a UN spokesman has said.
Two of the peacekeepers were seriously wounded, and all have been evacuated to a hospital, UNIFIL spokesperson Kandice Ardiel has said. “We do not yet know the origin of the explosion.”At least three Indonesian UNIFIL peacekeepers have been killed in southern Lebanon in the past week, following Israeli strikes. Jakarta has called for an inquiry.
“We demand a direct investigation from the UN, not just Israel’s excuses,” Indonesia’s Permanent Representative to the UN in New York, Umar Hadi, has said.
- 18:25 GMT
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf has mocked the reported downing of the US fighter jet in Iran.
”After defeating Iran 37 times in a row, this brilliant no-strategy war they started has now been downgraded from ‘regime change’ to ‘Hey! Can anyone find our pilots? Please?🥺,’” he wrote on X. “What incredible progress.”
After defeating Iran 37 times in a row, this brilliant no-strategy war they started has now been downgraded from “regime change” to “Hey! Can anyone find our pilots? Please?🥺”Wow. What incredible progress. Absolute geniuses.
— محمدباقر قالیباف | MB Ghalibaf (@mb_ghalibaf) April 3, 2026 - 18:12 GMT
Israeli broadcasters have released footage of interceptions of Iranian missiles over northern Israel.
- 17:45 GMT
The Kuwait Petroleum Corporation said that no staff were injured in the Iranian drone strikes on its Mina Al-Ahmadi refinery.
No adverse impact on air quality due to the resulting fires has been detected, it added.
KPC Press Release on this morning's malicious attack on Mina Al-Ahmadi Refinery. pic.twitter.com/PUtETo1NVf
— KPC | مؤسسة البترول الكويتية (@kpcofficialkw) April 3, 2026 - 17:35 GMT
Unconfirmed footage on social media purports to show smoke and fire coming from Kuwait’s Mina Al-Ahmadi refinery.
#BREAKING: Drones strike Kuwait’s Mina Al-Ahmadi oil refinery.At least two drones hit operational units at the key refinery, triggering fires visible from the site. Emergency teams are battling the blaze. No injuries reported so far.The strike raises fresh concerns about the… pic.twitter.com/sQAIEnFrCc
— SilentFrame (@SilentFrameM) April 3, 2026 - 17:23 GMT
The Israeli military has detected a new launch of missiles from Iran, the IDF has said in a statement.
The IRGC has claimed that it had struck an Israeli troop concentration and combat support centers in Western Galilee, Haifa, and other areas of Israel.
